Ready for Ravens Resources December 2018 “Rooty” the Raven -Illustrated by Leigh Alley SHS!19 Ready for Ravens Request to SUHSD Superintendent and School Board Trustees December 2018 The Ready for Ravens (R4R) Club was formed by a group of Sequoia High School (SHS) students in February 2018. The purpose of this club is to change the SHS team name from Cherokees to Ravens. The reasons for this include: 1. It has been confusing to have a mascot that is different from the team name. We would like the opportunity to experience the fun and traditions having a singular mascot/team name. 2. We want a team name and mascot we can feel proud of. 3. Native groups have clearly called both specifically to SHS and generally to all institutions for non-native schools to stop using native names for mascots and team names as they consider this racist and hurtful. 4. The new SUHSD non-discrimination policy calls for the elimination of discriminatory or racially derogatory team names. In 2000-2001 there was a similar effort that resulted in the school board passing a resolution to change Sequoia’s physical mascot from a Cherokee (acknowledging this perpetuated a stereotype) to a Raven but retaining the team name as Cherokees. The thinking was that without the physical representation, the Cherokee name would be seen as a way to honor Chief Sequoyah and his academic and civic accomplishments and that there would be no negative stereotypical association. Since then, many studies have been done and resolutions and laws have passed that make it the right time to revisit this, and we believe it is now time to change the team name to Ravens. The R4R Club was formed in February 2018 and is led by three chairs: Leigh Alley (SHS 2019), Andrew Mancini (SHS 2021) and Miles Webb (SHS 2020); and advised by Ms. Melissa Schmidt (SHS Math Teacher, Athletic Director and Varsity Girls Soccer Coach) with support from parents Susan Alley (SHS Sports & Spirit Boosters President) and Jennifer Webb (SHS Education Foundation President). For the rest of last school year, weekly meetings were held with 15-12 additional students, and our activities were focused on researching and raising awareness of the issue as well as gathering signatures and letters of support from SHS students (600+ signatures), staff (letters from 5 departments) and teams (including a vote of support by the SHS football team). It is worth noting, that we discovered in our signature gathering that for many of the students who want to retain the Cherokee name, it was because they liked the idea of an athletic, fierce warrior as the school’s sports team name. I.e.- even without a physical Cherokee mascot, students still associate the name with the stereotypical native. Another group of students in favor of keeping the Cherokees name is mainly because they prefer it to the team name of Ravens. We also learned that many athletes are no longer proud to be called Cherokees, especially because of the controversies with the Washington and Cleveland professional sports native team names and mascots. In our generation, it’s just not cool to have a native mascot or team name anymore the way it was a generation ago. We then approached Mr. Priest to help us with next steps in making the change happen, and the first thing he wanted us to do is meet with the SHS Alumni Association, many members of whom feel very strongly about keeping the Cherokee name. On June 6, 2018, the R4R leaders and advisors met with Mr. Priest and three active, long-time members of the Alumni Association to have a dialogue about the change. We learned all about the history of the name and mascot and the work done in 2000-2001 that resulted in changing the mascot to Ravens but retain the team name as Cherokees. The Alumni Association learned from us why we feel it is important to change the team name now, and we provided them with copies of the letter and resolutions that support our point of view. All parties expressed that they felt respected and heard. 1 Ready for Ravens Request to SUHSD Superintendent and School Board Trustees December 2018 Later in June, we became aware that as a result of the passage of The California Racial Mascot Act (Assembly Bill (AB)30), the California Education Code and related school board policies are required to be updated. Once Sequoia Union High School District adopts this policy, we believe there is sufficient documentation to prove that the use of the Cherokee team name is not in compliance with the policy. AB 30 was created with the intention of ensuring all students in public schools have equal rights and opportunities, on the basis that racially derogatory or discriminatory athletic team names, mascots, and nicknames contradict this idea. The bill was signed into law in October 2015, and amendments were made to the California Education Code (EDC). EDC 221.2 states that, “The use of racially derogatory or discriminatory school or athletic team names, mascots, or nicknames in California public schools in antithetical to the California school mission of providing an equal education to all… Many individuals and organizations interested and experienced in human relations, including the United States Commission on Civil Rights, have concluded that the use of Native American images and names in school sports is a barrier to equality and understanding, and that all residents of the United States would benefit from the discontinuation of their use.” The California School Board Association’s (CSBA) recommended revision to the Non-Discrimination Policy, Board Policy (BP) 0410 includes: “The district’s athletic program shall be free from discrimination and discriminatory practices prohibited by state and federal law, including, but not limited to the use of any racially derogatory or discriminatory school or athletic team name, mascot or nickname.” Note: The Redwood City School District adopted this policy in June 2018, and the San Carlos School District adopted this policy in December 2017. The following resources (attached at the end of this summary) support our belief that the use of Cherokees as our school’s team name is discriminatory and racially derogatory, in direct contradiction to AB 30, EDC 221.2 , and BP 0401. 1. In December 2000, Chad Smith, the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation wrote a letter to Mr. John Ummel, addressing the history and use of Cherokees as a team name by Sequoia High School, Redwood City, CA specifically. In it, Smith writes, “… these traditions are a negative and stereotypical portrayal of American Indian people … the Cherokee people do not perceive conceptual symbolism or symbolic behavior … as respectful of our culture. When a tradition is harmful to a people, is it a tradition worth keeping?” 2. E-mail sent from Mr. John Ummel to Sequoia principal, Ms. Morgan Marchbanks, stating that the letter from the Cherokee Chief arrived “after the fact” and that “It made me think differently about this whole issue.” The board resolution was passed in January, 2001; yet the letter is dated 18 December, 2000. Had the letter been received and considered prior to the board decision, we believe the outcome may have been different. 3. In July 2001—just seven months after Chief Smith’s letter to Mr. Ummel was written—the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes (a council of five Native American tribes, including the Cherokees and the very same Chief Smith) passed a resolution calling for the elimination of Native American team names by non-native schools: “Whereas, to continue the negative use of American Indian’s tribal names and images in offensive and disgusting practice … Be it resolved, that the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes joins the United States Commission on Civil Rights call to eliminate the stereotypical use of American Indian names and images as mascots in sports and other events.” 4. The National Indian Education Association published the “Elimination of Race-Based Indian Logos, Mascots and Names” resolution in 2005. It states, “Whereas, educational institutions choosing to use race-based Indian logos, mascots, and team names harm children, exposing graduation class after graduating class to these stereotypes, and indoctrinating them with the idea that it is acceptable to 2 Ready for Ravens Request to SUHSD Superintendent and School Board Trustees December 2018 stereotype an entire race of people … Whereas, educational institutions should not be the vehicles of institutional racism.” 5. A 2014 report written by the American University Washington College of Law, entitled, “Missing the Point: The Real Impact of Native Mascots and Team Names on American Indian and Alaska Native Youth,” reveals the harmful impact of derogatory team names. Citing American Psychological Association research, the report details how the use of Native American team names create “unwelcome and oftentimes hostile learning environments for American Indian students that [affirm] negative images/stereotypes that are promoted in mainstream society.” In turn, these hostile environments decrease Native American children’s academic achievement and ability to succeed. Additionally, stereotypical team names do not allow for Native American groups to portray themselves accurately, leading to discriminatory treatment of Native Americans, and reminding Native children of the limited and false ways others view them. (link provided in Resources section) 6. Several other articles and resolutions passed by public school boards in support of changing race-based native mascots and team names. Research has made it clear that Native Americans, particularly children, suffer enormously from the use and presence of team names like the Cherokees. From these sources, we must consider the opinions first and foremost of the people impacted by the Cherokees team name—solely, the Cherokee tribe members themselves.